An organic community

The guiding philosophy of the La Baraquette estate is to create a community that is full-integrated into the local culture and natural environment. Rather than a top-down imposition, we’ve design the estate to grow organically out of the land and the village. To this end, environmental sustainability has been a priority, with every effort made to minimise the use of water and electricity, and not just main but encourage the natural habitats of indigenous birds and other animals.

Authenticity is green

Languedoc is surprisingly green for such a sunny, warm region, but during the dry summer months, water is at a premium. To reduce water-usage, only Mediterranean plans will be used in the properties’ gardens and around the estate. Banks of lavender, trailing rosemary, olive trees, rocket pines and Mediterranean oak will be used to create cool, verdant spaces that help the estate blend seamlessly into the Mediterranean ‘garrigue’ around it. Rainwater will also be collected - from all the roads, pavements and outside spaces within the estate, and stored in massive underground tanks to be used to water gardens.

Treading lightly

All the buildings on the estate will be carefully oriented and designed to maximise light and minimise heat. Discretely-positioned solar panels will collect electricity. Ultra-efficient ‘heat-exchange’ heating and air-conditioning systems, coupled with the latest in insulation technology, will ensure all interior spaces are extremely comfortable while using up tiny levels of power. Similarly, high-tech LED lighting will illuminate without being power-hungry. And green construction materials will help to further reduce the estate’s carbon footprint.

Without cars, something magical happens

A ‘green’ environment is also one that is human-centric, one that promotes well-being, one where the pedestrian - not the car - is king. To that end, we wanted to make La Baraquette a car-free space, to reduce noise, air pollution and stress levels for anyone walking around the estate. A massive underground car park allows owners and guests to park close to their property, while clearing the estate of vehicles. To help you get around, our Waterfront Villas offer an electric Citroën Méhari (a superbly-retro throwback to 1968) as part of the furniture package and at our concierge, you'll be able to rent electric ‘eBikes’ and electric cars.

A good neighbour

Beyond La Baraquette, we’re working closely with Marseillan’s town council and environmental agencies responsible for the care of the Thau Lagoon. Far cleaner than normal sea water (oysters require super-clean water), the lagoon is highly regulated to ensure it remains a thriving habitat not just for oysters, but also for fish, shellfish, flamingos, herons and other many other species. La Baraquette will be built in a way that promotes the lagoon’s natural life cycles, and we’ll also be subsidising various environmental projects in the area to offset any of the negative effects of tourism beyond the estate.

EXCEPTIONNEL:Fresh produce in the shops at the Central Rendez-Vous and in both of La Baraquette's restaurants, as well as endless opportunities for exercise will help to ensure you remain as healthy and in touch with nature as the estate itself.